Competition for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
AN unusual architectural competition has been held recently in Chicago. It was unusual in the subject, a stadium; unusual in the size, to seat 100,000 persons at maximum capacity. It is only with the increasing popularity of athletic sports that stadiums have become a necessity for carrying on such enterprises. So popular have they become that tremendous audiences congregate to view the major sports. In the larger cities baseball parks with a capacity of 20,000 to 35.000 spectators are common. These are taxed to their utmost when star attractions are played. Football stadiums have been erected that will seat 60,000 spectators and at many universities are found those of 15,000 to 25,000 capacity.
The war, with its great parades, has given the people a taste for pageants. This is a very desirable thing because the American people have not possessed a proper desire for such forms of spectacular amusements. Perhaps we will now absorb somewhat of the spirit of many of our foreign born citizens and rightly enjoy the fete. Great pageants, illustrating phases of American history, would not only be illuminating to our foreign born brothers, but might be as much so to many of the native American stock. These festivals have another value in creating enthusiasms and in stimulating the imagination along proper channels.
The need of such a structure in Chicago has been realized for a long time. After several years of consideration and discussion a dual arrangement has been made between the City of Chicago and the South Park Commissioners of Chicago. Under this agreement the City of Chicago is to furnish the funds with which to construct the stadium and the South Park Commissioners are to furnish the site, maintain and operate the stadium. The site is on made ground immediately south of the Field Museum, which is at the southern extremity of Grant Park. The new park system of filled in lands, lagoons, bridges, etc., will extend from Grant Park south to the Hyde Park district, the entire system to be constructed by filling in portions of Lake Michigan along the shore line. This system of lakeside parks and drives will extend then for a distance of about eleven miles, from the southern end of Jackson Park to the northern extremity of Lincoln Park on the north. The only interruption will be a short distance of about one and one-half miles of North Michigan Avenue, devoted to high class stores, office buildings and hotels.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
FIRST PRIZE, ACCEPTED DESIGN,
Holabird & Roche, Architects
The new stadium will be nearly midway in this extensive park system and easily accessible to western portions of the city. It will be the geographical center of the finest and most extensive system of parks and boulevards in the world.
The stadium will be unusual in its seating capacity, a maximum of 100,000 and an ordinary of 60,000 persons. It is not easy to visualize a seated audience of 100,000 persons surrounding an arena capable of accommodating many thousands of persons at a time. There is a demand for such structures and Chicago will soon be able to stage outdoor events with better facilities than any other city in the world. With its fine summer climate, due to its location on Lake Michigan, it will be the great rendezvous for summer events on land and water and in winter unexcelled for winter sports.
The competition was held under the direction of the South Park Commissioners under the program as here given. Invitations to compete were extended to Edward H. Bennett and William E. Parsons. Coolidge and Hodgson, Zachary T. Davis and William F. Kramer, Holabird and Roche, Jarvis Hunt, Marshall and Fox.
These six competitors are all of Chicago and well represent the architectural profession in that city.
The Park Commissioners invited a jury to make the award, consisting of Prof. A. A. Stagg, Physical Director, University of Chicago ; Martin A. Ryerson; J. F. Foster, General Superintendent, South Park Commissioners ; Richard E. Schmidt of Schmidt, Garden and Martin ; Peirce Anderson of Graham. Anderson, Probst and White.
Mr. Anderson was chosen by the competing architects. Two of the five jurors were architects, Messrs. Schmidt and Anderson.
Site.
The site for the stadium lies on the lake front, south of the Field Museum, east of the Illinois Central right-ofway, west of South Park Avenue, extended and north of Sixteenth Street extended. A plan of the grounds and environs accompanies this invitation.
The site for automobile parking lies south of Sixteenth Street, between the Illinois Central and South Park Avenue.
The ground surface at the north shall be grade 31. It
shall slope or step down to grade 15 at Sixteenth Street. The arena will be level at grade 7.
Description.
The proposed stadium shall consist of an open amphitheater for spectators surrounding (wholly or partially) an arena. It shall be so arranged that large numbers of people may view processions, pageants, military maneuvers.
Description Submitted with Design for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
By Zachary T. Davis and William F. Kramer, Architects
IN presenting herewith a design for the proposed stadium to be erected on the lake front and in accordance with the privilege granted in the program for the competition, the following is a resume of the paramount features of the design, the value of the project to the community and the methods by which these are to be employed.
As the foundation of nationalism was founded in the Roman and Greek empires, by its emperors erecting monuments and stadiums of colossal magnitude and beauty to be used for the sole purpose of providing a suitable setting for that which brought the citizens together; so too, will the erection of this stadium provide for Chicago an adjunct toward establishing true Americanism, a sounder civic pride and international recognition as the builder of a municipal monument unsurpassed in modern times for utility, magnitude and beauty.
The uses of this structure are so extensive and varied that in this brief description only the pre-eminent ones may be enumerated.
The very name suggests a setting for the century-old Olympic games, and thus a provision for the exhibition and contest of every form of physical prowess and development among international participants.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
Zachary T. Davis and William F. Kramer, Architects
As, now, the eastern colleges look to the Yale Bowl as the most perfect place so far provided for athletics and exhibitions, so will the entire country look upon Chicago as the most probable setting of any great athletic meet. The metropolis of the West will serve the nation with its most adequately provided gathering place centrally located. It will necessarily be the center of national and state athletics, and thus a feature toward promoting a national rivalry in athletics and, by virtue of its magnitude, recognition of the benefits derived from athletic contests and the interests centered therein.
The State and municipality, however, will undoubtedly be served, as they rightly should be, to a greater extent than any other factor, for here every organization recognized may make their presentations. The school children of the city of Chicago can be brought together in one place, heretofore impossible, for drills, exhibitions, demonstrations and other features of the educational system. No matter how small or how vast the gathering it is amply provided for; whether it be a football game between representative colleges, a world’s championship baseball game, a national tennis match or Marathon, a track meet, bicycle races, winter sports, including hockey, ice skating, tobogganing and races. There are space and provisions for all and the necessary prerequisites for their proper execution ; also installations to provide for the comfort, convenience and safety of both contestants and audience.
A more serious use, its services to the military and semi-military organizations. Here a brigade of any branch could be maneuvered, drilled or reviewed with perfect ease. An assembly point and a terminus for every parade, and if the numbers become so great they may circulate through, entering from one end and passing out at the other. Both men and animals can be’ conveniently and comfortably quartered beneath the structure. If an emergency arose a central armory might be established. The police and fire departments would naturally conduct their inspections and reviews within the arena, while drills and maneuvers could be the more efficiently conducted because of the control possible from any point.
A national or legal holiday hereafter need never pass unobserved for want of proper and sufficient provisions. The municipal Christmas tree will be available to all the people rather than the few that can be crowded into the streets of a city block. Each chronicled celebration, every festivity, as historical commemorations, patriotic demonstrations and works for charity, can be given with the ease and provisions for numbers that will necessarily mean success. Every organization of citizens, no matter of what character, whether it be civic, national, fraternal, religious, industrial or commercial, will find the stadium their acknowledged gathering place.
The stadium, if desired, may be created into a source of revenue because of its many utilitarian features.” The circus would in truth be a circus, in the way they were presented to the Ancients, if given in this arena. Anticipating that oftentimes there will be paid admissions of various amounts, ample provision has been made properly to segregate the different priced sections, while the extensive use of ramps will necessarily prevent crowding and enable the large numbers of people to arrive and move easily and unhindered to any designated point. The entire ground floor and promenades arc admirably suited to ex positions of a nature where area is a prime requisite. Objects of great mass may be exhibited and cumbersome but mobile units may be moved about with ease. Again, the crowds that will necessarily congregate can be safely and comfortably handled, as the circulation about the en tire structure permits easy ingress and exit. A stock show, which demands a large expanse of ground and numerous buildings, can be more efficiently and effectively presented here than elsewhere, as the arena serves as the exhibition ground and- the animals may be housed under
neath the seats.
The open-air theater will provide an appropriate setting and a seating capacity for theatricals and spectacular productions on a scale perhaps not heretofore at tempted for want of ample space and proper facilities. Band concerts to a larger and more comfortably seated audience and in a setting unexcelled, will prove most effective, while a Chatauqua could be conducted from the mammoth stage, the elements permitting.
There are features of construction which, though not self-evident on the drawings, are of sufficient importance to be worthy of special consideration and mention herein. In the author’s conception it is planned that the structural parts or skeleton, seats, risers, ramps, stairways, floors and roofs shall be of poured reinforced concrete. The ornamental features and parts, such as cornices, columns, balustrades, statuary and the walls around the structural parts shall be of a cast concrete, waterproofed.
The method of construction anticipated is the column and girder. This method permits the circulation of air beneath the structure and seats which will prevent excessive absorption of heat by the concrete on hot days, permitting comfortable occupancy of seats.
Entrances and exfts are ample and sight lines free for the 40,000 temporary seats to be placed in front of the structure, in the arena and on the concrete base at the rear. A feature of the construction is the fact that the concrete base for temporary seats at rear provides a brace for the walls and create an architectural elevation because of the increased height. The unnecessary expense of furnishing and erecting supports for the temporary seats at rear of structure was also considered by the author.
The arena for night-time use may be lighted to a day light brilliancy by a battery of reflectors supported by four steel towers. It is proposed to illuminate the seats with portable standards provided with reflectors which will direct the light but one way, projecting it at the rear of the seats, consequently not into the eyes of the spectators. The exterior elevations are to be illuminated by a series of concealed reflectors projecting”a flood light over the principal facades and pavilions. The substructure, accessories and exits to have a direct lighting system.
The author estimates the cubic contents of the structure above the top of foundations to be 8,400,000 cubic feet.
Description Submitted with Design for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
By Coolidge and Hodgdon, Architects
THE professional advisor states that: “It is the desire of the commissioners that the stadium be subordinated to the field museum. They wish the two to make a satisfactory composition taken together.” The stadium is placed on the plot with the long axis turned to compose with the development of the area extending south of Sixteenth Street, which makes it possible to utilize the site to its entire advantage. Furthermore, if all the land is not used for the stadium it will not provide the 60,000 seats required by the program, which limits the base to grade 40, unless the conditions of the program are violated.
The permanent structure is not carried above grade 40, except the entrances and the wall, which serve as a protection for the temporary seats. At the north end the wall has been eliminated so the spectators will obtain an un obstructed view of the south entrance of the Field Museum.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
Coolidge and Hodgdon, Architects
The space allowed for temporary seating will easily accommodate 40,000 people. Two entrances at the northern end and one at the southern end are shown, which will permit a procession to come north on Michigan, turn into Twelfth Street and enter the arena by the northwest entrance, proceed along the westerly side, turn at the south end, going north along the easterly side out of the northeasterly entrance by the east end of the Field Museum, west on Twelfth Street to Michigan Boulevard and then north and this without any difficulty, giving the spectators an opportunity to see the procession at close range. Or a procession may enter at the south of the arena, maneuver in the arena and go out either one of the entrances at the north. There is a third entrance at the north end from the plaza south of the Field Museum on a level with the base of the stadium for people attending the theater. This is closed with iron gates. The audience may also enter the theater through the northeast and northwest entrances. The entrances for the spectators, for the general seating, are through archways in the outside wall, from the northwest entrance all the way around to the northeasterly entrance, the openings in the arch and the two northerly entrances are closed by iron gates.
The rooms under the seats in the section between the northwest and northeast entrances may be used for offices, dressing rooms and storage for the theatrical paraphernalia. A large number of rooms are shown throughout the structure for the storing of temporary seats, booths for concessions to sell refreshments, etc., for the stabling of animals, comfort stations, first-aid stations and so on.
The stadium is designed in such a way that no stair ways are required, people reaching the seats by easy ramps. The two northerly entrances are designed so there is an easy slope in a total length of 450 feet of 24 feet from grade 7 to grade 31 to the plaza of the Field Museum, or about yi inch to the foot. The plaza of the Field Museum is designed with a space at either end, one to provide for arrivals by trains and the other arrivals by water.
Sight lines have been worked out so that each seat has a direct line of vision over the whole arena. The northwest entrance will be visible from Michigan Boulevard. Two reviewing stands with separate entrances are provided. Permanent roofs have not been shown over these as they would interfere with the line of vision of the spectators back of the stands, and it is the recommendation of this designer that these be more of a temporary nature and not made of masonry and iron.
The cubical contents of the stadium arc 15,168,555 cubic feet.
Material: The best effect would be produced if the outside wall were built of marble like the Field Museum; the second choice would lie limestone and the third concrete. The structure and seating to be reinforced concrete.
Display of Bunting: Generous provision has been made for flag staffs for banners, flags and streamers.
Lighting: Lamp posts have been provided for lighting the exterior wall and approaches.
String courses and cornices to be lighted by rows of lamps.
Two masts are provided with spiral stairs to crowsnests, where searchlights and projectors can be operated to light the arena. From the masts cables may be run in all directions from which lamps will be suspended. It is believed this will furnish the best illumination.
It is also recommended that the roof over the deck be used for flood and spectacular lighting.
This competitor feels that instead of being detrimental to the general composition to have the stadium asymmetric to the Field Museum, it gives a more interesting layout and the assumption is not without classic precedent.
Mr. Penrose, in his Principles of Athenian Architecture, in discussing the Acropolis of Athens, states that:
It will be well to observe the remarkable absence of
parallelism among the several buildings. The asymmetria is productive of a very great beauty, for it not only obviates the dry uniformity of too many parallel lines, but also produces exquisite varieties of light and shade
Description Submitted with Design for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
By Jarvis Hunt, Architect
A similar want of parallelism in the separate parts is found to obtain in some of the finest mediaeval structures, and may conduce in some degree to the beauty of the magnificent Piazza of St. Mark’s at Venice.”
The location of the stadium, the size of the arena, the number of permanent seats, the number of temporary seats, have all been fixed by you, and I have complied with all of your requirements.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
Jarvis Hunt, Architect
In making this design we have taken into consideration the approaches to the stadium and the various elevations of streets around same, and have, therefore, chosen the east side as the principal architectural entrance to the stadium for the following reasons:
1. The level of the street on the east side (on the center axis east and west) is the same level as the principal gallery that feeds all of the arena.
2. The rear of the stadium must necessarily be the Illinois Central right-of-way.
3. This point is most easily reached from the north and south.
4. It seems most adaptable for so large a building, as it allows a proper design and capacity of the streets approaching same, and it is also possible to treat the water front architecturally in connection with and emphasizing the entrance,
5. This entrance forms a backing for the temporary seats (which temporary seats are nearest to the center of the arena), and also a setting for the open-air theater.
This treatment, with its broad surfaces, is most adaptable for commemorating wars or sports, as your committee may see fit to adopt.
The design seems to” me to tie into and make a better foil for the existing Field Columbian Museum than would one of a colonnade treatment with more or less competitive proportions.
We have suggested on the block plan the means of bringing the street cars through a tunnel at Twelfth Street into a station below the level of the street south of the museum; also extending the same in a tunnel underneath the level of the street on the west side of the stadium. We have also connected it with the Illinois Central Railroad.
On the west side of the stadium arc accommodations for housing the different circuses, horse shows or other pageants for which the stadium may be used. This structure also forms a base for the temporary seats that may be placed above it to correspond with the same temporary seats on the east side of the proposed structure.
The exits and inlets to the stadium for pageants or other large exhibits are so arranged that they do not come on the same level or interfere with the inlets or exits of the public viewing same.
Automobiles may be parked south of the stadium.
Description Submitted with Design for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
By Marshall and Fox, Architects
We herewith submit competitive sketches for the construction of the stadium on the lake front, Chicago.
In preparing a solution of this problem presented by the provisions of the program of the owner that would give adequate interpretation to the owner’s highest purpose, it has been our consistent practice to employ a breadth of vision that lifts the whole from materialistic restrictions and places it in its proper significant position: that of a prototype for suitable accommodations in which the citizens of any such great municipality may further their health and happiness and express their national and civic emotions.
Further, it is. we believe, clearly recognized by the owners, in providing this stadium for the lake front, Chicago, to be their obvious duty to make the best possible provision for the health and happiness in leisure of the masses—in short, to provide for the needs of a new world, a new world which the gallant sacrifice of American manhood in the World War has alone made so early possible. It would be unworthy of such a great municipality, in lifting to a higher plane of living the masses of its citizens, to disregard one of the great factors of the uplift. Therefore we provide that this stadium be in a measure a monument commemorative to the American soldiers of the World War. Both this tribute to the past and vision of the future have been suitably expressed in the magnitude of our conception of the whole: in the sublimity of the design, and by the excellence of the plan which leads to the utmost practicability in the stadium’s use.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
Marshall and Fox, Architects
Our preliminary sketches provide for a careful adherence to the requirements of the program of the owner, such as:
1. An arena arranged, per provisions of the program of the owner, for athletic meets, ice carnivals, tobogganing, skiing, fairs, horse shows, military maneuvers, pageants, etc.
2. A theater at one end of the arena with a maximum seating capacity of 9500, providing for concerts, outdoor dramatics, etc.
3. Permanent seating capacity of 60,000. with an additional temporary seating capacity of 40,000, 20,000 of which are placed on the third and top promenade extending around the entire stadium, and 20,000 in temporary seats below the permanent scats, these temporary seats extending into the arena.
4. Reviewing stand which is sufficiently elevated to command the necessary view of the arena, with adequate treatment of seats in carving, etc.
5. The cubic contents of the entire structure is 21,750,000 cubic feet.
6. Construction of reinforced concrete, with all engineering, problems reduced to a minimum to eliminate unnecessary expense, that entire stadium may be suitably finished in Buff Bedford ashlar masonry.
7. Adequate provision for storing of temporary seats, stabling, and other storage, baths and locker rooms for athletic contestants, etc.
In addition, we wish to call your attention to the fol
lowing :
First— Means of ingress and egress provide that the entire stadium, seating approximately lco,ooo persons, may be vacated in a period of from three to five minutes. The series of arched entrances around the entire Stadium with ramps provide for this most fundamental requisite for the successful use of the stadium, thereby reducing to a minimum
(a) The possibility of loss of life by panic, exposure from sudden changes in weather, etc.
(b) The time and strength consumed by the citizen in approaching and leaving his recreation. His easy access to the stadium is further facilitated by the open plaza about the entire stadium, which eliminates congestion.
Second—Thus having entered the stadium with the minimum expenditure of time and effort at the arch whose number corresponds to the number on his seat, the citizen may in the least expensive seat enjoy a perfection in sight line equal to that of the most expensive seat. After an exhaustive study of amphiteaters and open-air theaters, both ancient and modern, we have for this stadium established the minimum angle permissible for the insurance of perfect sight lines. This, too, is a none the less fundamental requisite for the use of the stadium.
Third—Further, the citizen may during any intermission in performances, or as shelter during inclement weather, enjoy in the covered promenade about the whole stadium, located half-way up the banks of seats, public comfort stations, restaurants and emergency hospital. Off this promenade the administrative offices will be located.
Fourth—In the substructure various separate pools and gymnasiums for men and women, in connection with their separate club rooms, should be provided.
We have made these competitive sketches for a stadium for the lake front of Chicago, employing consistently the vision of a fitting tribute to the past and a pledge to the city’s future—an embodiment of both—that will be a means to promote in the most uplifting manner the health and happiness in leisure of the citizens of Chicago.
Description Submitted with Design for a Stadium on the Lake Front, Chicago
By Edward H. Bennett and William E. Parsons, Architects
General Purpose.
The aim has been to design a stadium for general uses rather than one serving any one specific purpose.
The stadium should be suitable not only for public gatherings and spectacles of a military or a non-military character, but also for the more specialized uses of athletics and games.
One of its chief uses will undoubtedly be that of great tournaments and reviews of a military character, of great gatherings on festival days in connection with public parades through the downtown streets and to such occasions as the Olympic games, floral exhibits, horse shows and circuses, in addition to football, baseball, track and other athletics.
The stadium may serve a useful purpose in connection with universal military service, or for the military classes of schools, whose public reviews, prize drills and other contests may be held there.
The theater may be operated separately from the main arena, except on occasions when the noise there will render performances in the theater difficult.
On great occasions all of the temporary seats may be used, but it is thought that for such uses as football games it will be desirable to mass the temporary seats on the long sides of the arena.
In either case the terrace will be an important factor for the distribution of the crowds, especially on free days. It being continuous the public may circulate from one side to the other and select their seats with freedom.
For ice carnivals the center of the field may be flooded and toboggan slides may be arranged, built up on the seats in such numbers as may be desired.
The value of the stadium to the public will be very great. In connection with the development of the South Shore its construction would encourage the people of Chicago to use the lake front together with the Field Museum, bathing facilities and such other buildings as may conceivably be built in the future to form a group.
The elements of this group would mutually support one another, they would have common transportation facilities and generally would present a variety of opportunity in the way of entertainment and instruction of undoubted value to the community.
Competition For a Stadium on the Lakefront, Chicago
Edward H. Bennett and William E. Parsons, Architects
Conception of the Problem
The conception of this stadium is that of a bowl, modeled in such a way that it is partially sunk in the ground, rather than that of a building. In view of the existing topographical condition and the proposed road levels such a plan may be carried out admirably.
The general expression of the exterior is that of a terrace with an appropriate terminal at the north end and carrying the more substantial enclosure of the theater at the south end, and arrangement practically dictated by the conditions and orientation of the site.
A free display of bunting and other temporary decoration may be used it is believed, as indicated on the side elevation.
General Plan
The form chosen is governed in the first place by the outline of the site, having for its dominant features the Field Museum on the north and the proposed park and lagoons on the south and east. Its exact form, including the rounded ends, has been controlled by the factor of maximum visibility of the field from the seats. It is claimed for this plan that there are none but good seats.
It is believed that considerations of good seating have contributed to rather than detracted from the shape of the bowl and its general appearance.
Main Outlines: The ends of the structure are dissimilar in size and curved and the sides are straight, but transitional curves are arranged between these straight sides and the ends with a view to avoiding the appearance of narrowing or pinching at the center, common to some of the stadia of the Roman circus form. Straight sides, it is believed, have particular advantage for the lining up of military and other formations.
The theater has been designed as moderate in size as it is believed is consistent with the purpose of the utilization of the stadium arena as a whole. The differentiation architecturally also has been carried as far as seems consistent with unity of expression in the entire composition.
The unsymmetrical arrangement or gradual widening of the field on the north and south axis, it is believed, will give a more ample appearance and a better maneuvering ground. Owing to the fact that it fits the site perfectly it is believed that it will be at once recognized as the most reasonable and finest arrangement.
Administration Group: The administration offices are placed where it is thought they will be accessible and will control the entire structure to the best advantage. With them are grouped the various rooms and other services required by the program.
In addition to these are provided lockers, dressing rooms and toilets, as may be necessary for those engaged in indoor training, the rifle pit, etc., in such manner that the whole group may be economically heated from the central heating plant as indicated on the plans.
Circulation and Access—Ramps
There are no stairways with the exception of four supplementary flights on the outside.
The stadium, due to the capacity demanded, occupies the greater part of the site selected, but it has been the aim to adapt every foot of the ground remaining to the purposes of circulation of the public.
Street Cars: Provision is made for a street car rightof-way bordering the Illinois Central with two loading platforms.
The general circulation for automobiles and other vehicles surrounds the site and between it and the arena is disposed a circulation as broad as possible, for the distribution of the public approaching or leaving the stadium.
There are twenty-six entrances leading to the vast concourse arranged under the platform for the temporary seatings and fourteen additional exits.
This concourse will serve for the distribution of the public or for sheltering them in the emergency of bad weather.
Sixty-three passages practically at street level, lead directly from this concourse and the arcade around the theater to the seating spaces. A maximum of 1,200 seats is served by each passage. In addition a number of ramps lead to the terrace bordering the arena, for distribution to the permanent seats and to the temporary seats which are to be placed on this terrace.
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SEATING SPACE AND CAPACITY
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Seating Space (Sq. Ft.), Including Aisles
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Stadium
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Theater
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Total
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| Permanent |
213,248
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62,528
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275,776
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| Lower temporary |
59,040
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8,088
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67,128
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| Upper temporary |
100,800
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100,800
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| Total searing space |
443,704
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Seating Capacity
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| Permanent |
46,520
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13,474
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60,014
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| Lower temporary |
12,194
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2,690
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14,884
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| Upper temporary |
25,668
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25,668
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| Total searing capacity |
100,566
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Standing room in and above colonnade of theater….3,000
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Temporary Seats: From the above figures it is seen that the temporary seats have been so arranged that a large percentage of them are below the permanent seats. These lower temporary seats are easily handled for storage, easily accessible when in use and are generally de
sirable.
Dimensions: The distance back to back of permanent seats is 30 inches, of temporary seats is 28 inches. The risers in the permanent seating range from 8 to 12 inches, as determined by sight lines.
It might be stated that the distance back to back of seats of 30 inches is the same as that used in the Yale bowl. This space is considered satisfactory. The distance of 27 inches used in the Harvard Stadium has been demonstrated to be too small.
The seating capacity is based on seat widths of I7¾ inches to 19 inches, the minimum being at a few points in the curved seating.
The arrangement and dimension of seats, aisles, entrances and ramps was decided upon, the sight lines determined and all problems of operation (for free amusements, for occasions when an entrance charge is made, either with or without reservation of seats and for exhibition use) were studied in the light of a first-hand knowledge of similar features in the largest stadia and halls of the country.
Storage of Seals: The lower temporary seats may be stored with minimum effort by shifting them through movable panels in the arena wall. Those on the upper terrace may be carried up and down by trucks, using the special ramps and the freight lift. By these means the seats may be placed or stored with a minimum amount of effort.
Theater.
The theater is segmental in form and the stage may be so placed that all seats will have a good view. It is surrounded by a colonnade and wall, which it may be stated with authority will improve the acoustical qualities of the theater. These qualities are stated to be better in the Harvard Stadium than in the Yale Bowl when used for theatrical performances.
Pool: In conjunction with the theater stage it is suggested that a pool be built for aquatic exhibitions. It is believed that if this were done the stage itself should be operated mechanically on runways, the stage itself being thus utilized to floor over the pool and throw its area into the main arena.
Awning: It is suggested that the theater may be partially covered with an awning if desired, as shown on the drawings.
Space Under Stadium Structure
A very considerable space is found under the permanent seats and under the terrace for the temporary seats.
Provision is made for the various services required by the program, administration offices and locker rooms for use of contestants in the stadium and for the participants in the performances of the theater, the storage of seats, stables, etc.
In addition to these, provision is made on the plans for the following:
1. Lockers and dressing-rooms available for bathing in the lagoon adjacent to the stadium.
2. An indoor running track for winter training.
3. A 200-yard rifle range.
4. A continuous driveway for the distribution of materials and a freight lift, also additional exhibition space.
5. In the theater in addition to the property rooms, dressing rooms, etc., are indicated a band room and rehearsal room.
6. A small plant for heating is shown on the plans.
Toilets: The toilet arrangements have been proportioned to the seating capacity, as established by actual experience in other modern stadia. They have direct out side light and ventilation.
Architectural Treatment
The style selected follows classic traditions, which are adapted to modern requirements. As already stated it is conceived as a vast terrace, the elevation of which does not rise higher than the terraces of the Field Museum, with which the stadium is intended to harmonize in style.
The chief motifs of embellishment are those in con junction with the main entrance and the two lateral entrances and the theater.
The structural material is intended to be reinforced concrete, stone or pre-cast concrete forming the exterior surfaces.
Throughout it has been thought desirable to be governed by considerations of reserve in the permanent construction, especially where so large a public monument is concerned. Provision, however, is made for a display of temporary decorations and illumination.
Natural Lighting Under Scats and Terrace
The concourse is well lighted in the daytime through the passages, ramps and large entrance ways. The lower level is lighted by areas, through the passageways, and where necessary by wired glass panels in the seat risers. Sidewalk lights have been avoided because of the large cost of maintenance.
Artificial Lighting
In addition it is suggested that movable lighting stand ards for flood lights be provided in the stadium of sufficient height and number to illuminate the entire arena or such portions as may be necessary for night performances and that searchlights or other illumination be established on the higher points of the composition, such as columns, pavilions and terraces of the theater.
Naturally the general illumination of the composition should include the south facade of the Field Museum, as this building incloses the north end of the stadium, and while dominating the view, will, it is thought, harmonize perfectly with the arrangement of the stadium itself.
Stadium
The space provided under the terrace and seats for uses as required by the program contains 6,985,000 cu. ft.
In addition to the above the unfinished space suitable for use as bath house, lockers, indoor training space, target range and rehearsal rooms contains 2.095,000 cu. ft.
This extra space is left unfilled because filling would be an added expense; also because the space is valuable and may be put to uses as suggested or to other uses.
Note: A plan which would contemplate partial filling under the stadium seats and terrace to a level of say 23 feet, instead of to the arena level, which is about 7 feet, as is done in this plan, would materially reduce the storage and exhibition space, greatly increase the yardage of fill required and add to the cost of the structure an amount equal to the cost of the added fill, less a saving in lower level finish of that part which is needed.
It is assumed that foundation, wall and pier and floor construction would be practically the same in each case.
If partial filling, as stated above, were done, exhibition and storage space would be reduced by 260,000 square feet. Earth fill in excess of that required by plan as presented would be 202,500 cubic yards.
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